Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-01-21

said that he had changed a $50 bill for
him. He might 60 no further than Bea
yer Dam, and got of there and looked
around for few hours. No trace of him
had been had, and was at the depot to
take the train, when a conversation be-
tween two young men became interest
ing.
"You ought to have told somebody"
protested one.
"Yes, and been laughted at, /" replied
the other.
"And he had ten thousand dollarsl"
ayes, double that"
"And he was counting it on the bed1"
eyes"
'T'll bet he was robber."
"May be, but he was off early in the
morning. Well, so long, Ton-here's
the train"
The one who had seen some one count
ing money was going west b. my train,
and schemed to get a seat with him and
draw him out. He was porter at one
of the hotels in Portage, and he had seen
a guest answering Lanes description
counting such a lot of money that it COW
cred half the bed. The porter had made
his observations through the keyhole of
the door, and, being ashamed of himself,
had hcsitated to go to the landlord. The
m IN had arrived without baggage, but
had there purchased valise, and his ner-
vOus manner and the sight of so much
money in his possession had led the por-
ter to finally conclude that there was
mystery there somewhere, although he
had not spoken of it to any one around
/ ho Lo1
suit of coarse clothes, with hat aud shoes
to match, and in leaving had taken the
highway leading toward Oshkosh. He
had purchased another bottle of hair dye
in Portage, but had apparently given his
red hair up as bad job. He not only
left the bottle in his room, but by means
of soap and water washed off what dye
he had put on at Milwaukee.
Lane had given the landlord to under
stand that he was hard working young
man who had started out to look for II
job, but he had departed without fixing
on anything definite l did not believe
he would go t. Oshkosh. He was acting
! like man who reasoned that if he could
hide himself away in the country for a
few weeks his crime and his ident ty
would both be forgotten. To catch the
embezzler without capturing his swag
would have been no credit to me. He
had several days the start of me, and had
by this time got job of some sort. l
procured rough suit of clothes, hired
a horse, and set OF on his trail. AS he
had gone on foot with large valise in
his hand it was easy to hear of him along
the road. He headed toward Oshkosh
for five or six miles, and then turned di-
rectly north. 1t was in the fall of the
/ year, and the roads were in bad condi-
ton, but he made twenty four miles that
first day. not stopping at all for dinner.
He went to the northeast for six miles,
to the north for ten miles, and then
he turned due west, almost on line with
La Crosse, and went eight miles before
stopping at an inn had only made the
same number of miles on horseback, but
as he had to lie by the next forenoon on
account of the rain, while l had good
weather, gained half day on him. He
proceeded toward | q Crosse for ten miles
more, and then went north two miles,
and stayed over night with farmer and
talked about going to workin saw mill.
Next day he headed due west, and
reached the Wisconsin River at hamlet
called Little Bend. 1t was on the sixth
day after he left Milwaukee that To-
Gated him, and he had then been at work
in saw mill for day and half. l
entered the hamlet on foot, as he had
done, having few extra clothes in
bundle, and it was soon known to the
seventy-five or eighty population that
was in search of work. The owner of
the only store in the place also kept sa-
loon and tavern, and, under pretense CT
being footsore and used up, remained
idle for two or three days, although the
mill owner was short of hands and de-
sired me to 60 to work at once.
1t may be thought strange that I did
not at once arrest ane and have done
with it. Had overhauled him en- route
that would have been the plan, for the
money would have been in his valse. He
had taken board at the ia, ern, and dur
ing my first half day there had found
his room open and his yalise unlocked
There was nothing in it which any one
would want to take away. He had, like
sharp man, taken his money out and
planted it. He could not justly suspect
that was af!er him, for after three or
four days | went to work alongside of
him and held him at a distance. He
tried hard to get acquainted with me,
but | was taciturn and unsocial. lie
gave me an opportunity to ask him ques-
tions, but [ refused to profit by it. 1
admitted, for purpoae that left Mil
waukee TO If or five days behind him,
and after seeming to reflect for while,
he asked
"Was there any special news when
you left2'
II don't remember"
'No murders or robberies?"
"rhere was a mystery of some sort, I
believe. Somebody drew lot of money
4 out of the bank, fell into the hands of
sharpers, and they were looking il the
river and lake for his dead body.'
'H'm!" he coughed, and that ended
our conversation, though did not fail
to notice the look of qualification which
crept over his face That he had hidden
the treasure was certain. That he would
visit it sooner OF later was dead sure. |
watched him closely during the day, and
| saw that he was nervous and pleoccu-
pied. l expected he would 90 out to in
spect his treasure at night, and | took
my precautions that he should not es-
cape me, but he made no move lie went
to work on Friday noon of one week and
! on Thursday of the neat When Sun
day week came it was bright, VAIN
day, and made up my mind not to loose
sight of him for an hour, There were
several acres of logs in the yard, and
after breakfast went to the mill climbed
up in the attic, and had the yard and